MADAM – We can always count on Gavin Littaur to fill your letters page with a hefty dose of common sense (ATG No 2381). But I fear his dispute with Defra will come to nothing if my present spat with HMRC is anything to go by.
Last October I was sent some tokens and medallions in two parcels from New York, correctly declared and valued. Parcelforce stopped both parcels and decided that one contained ‘iron and steel’ and the other ‘novelty items’. One cannot appeal against the decision before receiving the parcels and paying up.
VAT and all other charges came to £248.27 and £71.12 on parcels valued at $500 and $250 respectively! I paid up and appealed – only for both now to be declared as ‘novelty items’. However, I was to receive a refund of £133.56. I have re-appealed and while I await a verdict it would be nice if they could send me the cheque for £133.56.